Military Transcripts

Receive Credit for Prior Training and Work Experience

Your prior education, military training and experience may be eligible for credit at Columbia Southern University. In order to have your prior educational experiences evaluated for credit, you must submit transcript(s) according to the guidelines listed below for your branch of the military:

Air Force
Army
Army National Guard
Coast Guard
Marines
Navy

Air Force
The Air Force uses the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript for documenting ACE-certified military training and experience, course work, and CLEP or DSST exams worthy of academic credit. Columbia Southern University uses the CCAF transcript to determine whether specific training or previous course work qualifies for credit toward a CSU degree program. For information on how to request your official transcript, visit the CCAF Web site.

Designate that your official CCAF transcript be mailed to:

Columbia Southern University
Attn: Admission Office
P. O. Box 3110
Orange Beach , AL 36561

Army and Army National Guard
The Army uses the Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript Service (AARTS) for documenting ACE-certified military training for academic credit purposes. Columbia Southern University uses the AARTS form to determine whether military training and experience, course work and CLEP or DSST exams qualifies for credit toward a CSU degree program.

AARTS receives information directly from official Army military personnel records and contains the following: current rank, military status, time in service, current academic level completed, additional skill identifiers (ASI) and skill qualification identifiers (SQI), formal military courses, military occupational specialties (MOS) held, standardized test scores, and descriptions and credit recommendations developed by ACE.

To receive maximum transfer credits for your training and experiences, submit a current AARTS transcript.

Visit the AARTS Web site.
Fill in your SSN, birth date, and Basic Active Service Date (BASD) or Pay Entry Basic Date (PEBD) and click "continue." Note that BASD is for active duty soldiers and PEBD is primarily used by guards and reservists. When in doubt, use your BASD.
Select Columbia Southern University from the drop-down list of universities you would like to receive your official transcripts. Transcripts will usually be sent to the University within 24 hours.

Coast Guard
The Coast Guard uses the U.S. Coast Guard Transcript for documenting all training and experience worthy of academic credit. Columbia Southern University uses the transcript to determine whether specific ACE-certified training or previous course work qualifies for credit toward a CSU degree program.

Visit the U.S. Coast Guard Institute Web site.
Click on "official transcripts" for instructions about how to submit a written request for your transcripts. A copy of your DD-214 (discharge papers) and copies of course completion letters or certificates also must be attached to your request.
Download a PDF of the transcript request form.
Designate that the official Coast Guard transcript be mailed to:

Columbia Southern University
Attn: Admission Office
P. O. Box 3110
Orange Beach, AL 36561

Marine Corps and Navy
The Navy and Marine Corps use the Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART) for documenting ACE-certified military training and experience, course work, and CLEP or DSST exams worthy of academic credit. Columbia Southern University uses the SMART to determine whether specific training on your military transcript qualifies for credit toward a CSU degree program.

More information on how to request your transcripts
Download the SMART request form
Designate that your official SMART transcript be mailed to:

Columbia Southern University
Attn: Admission Office
P. O. Box 3110
Orange Beach, AL 36561

Note: If you are not active or have separated or retired from service prior to October 1, 1999, you must submit your DD Form 214, Certificate of Release, or Discharge from Active Duty, to obtain credit for your military training.